Most of Edgar Allen Poe’s works are rather dark and puzzling, and they also contain a great deal of symbolism. There are several key symbols in this story and I will focus on three of them. In Edgar Allen Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado, the symbolism of the carnival and the clown outfit, the amontillado, and the manner in which Fortunato perishes are all keys in answering questions throughout the story.
In the story it is carnival season, which is a rather joyous time for most, and I think this shows how symbolic it is that Montresor waited until this time to implement his plan. Because it is such a blissful period, it adds to the joy that will be felt when Montresor feels the sweet revenge. It is stated that Fortunato is wearing a clown costume, which tells the reader that he is fully enjoying the carnival season and is in a happy-go-lucky sort of mood. Who wears a clown suit and isn’t feeling this way? Fortunato has angered Montresor in the past and he wants to see Fortunato humiliated. Montresor is sure to get greater satisfaction out of killing Fortunato if he is in a joyous mood when Montresor’s plan is carried out.
Poe also uses irony throughout the story brilliantly. The name Fortunato is used as an ironic symbol as fortunato means “the fortunate one” in Italian. What happens to Fortunato in this story is anything but fortunate. Montresor also makes a point of giving Fortunato self confidence by telling him that his “health is precious,” and that he is “rich, respected, admired, beloved …” Montresor also mentions how he thinks how they shouldn’t go because of Fortunato’s health, which does not appeal to Fortunato. Both the reader and Montresor know his plan for murder and I feel that he is just simply planting a seed deeper in Fortunato’s head so that he will be more downtrodden when it is revealed what Montresor’s plan was all along. After Montresor brings up the idea of returning to the carnival and forgetting about the Amontillado, Fortunato...